Gallant effort from our Senior Footballers
At a breezy and sometimes cold Parnell park on Wednesday night a brave effort by our senior footballers saw them just fail to overturn St Vincents in the first round of the Senior Football championship. With Philip O’Donnell exam tied Scott O’Brien returned to competitive action in his place at corner back to take on a star studded Vincents team which contained 5 All Ireland winners. The opening exchanges were frantic with Diarmuid Connolly pulling the strings for Vincents and Mossy Quinn accurate from a free Vincents with the wind at their backs moved into a two point lead. Cuala battled hard though and with Fitzy driving forward a nice move down the right ended with Cobsy being fouled and Luke Keating clipped over a nice free. Vincents then entered a period of dominance with Fennell, Mossy Quinn and Burke scoring and by with 20mins gone they lead 6 points to one. But Cuala were now growing into the game, and Vincents by this stage had realised that the Cuala fullback line of Chubby , Burger and Scottie would be very comfortable down the roughest of inner city alleys. Whilst the Cuala midfield were physically inferior to their direct opponents their mobility was causing Vincents trouble and a fine run and cross from Adam Hudson led to a goal chance for Cuala but Vincents managed to scramble clear and work the ball quickly down the field where Darbo had to pull off a magnificent save from Dermo. This lifted Cuala and they finished out the half well with nice points from Cobsy and Lukey to go in 4 behind. Halftime Score Vincents 7 Cuala 3.
The second half picked up where the first had left off. Vincents trying hard to break Cuala down , Cuala defending magnificently and working extremely hard all over the pitch. But Cuala now had a strong foothold in the game and a Ryan Scollard point reduced the deficit to 3 points. Powered on by a dominant half back line of Breatnach , Mulally and Fitzie Cuala traded scores with Vincents , Luke with another beauty and Darbo with a sweet 45. Darbo was having a night to remember when he pulled off another superb save from a Mossy Quinn penalty. As the game entered its final minutes Cuala went in search of an equalizing goal, and could fell very aggrieved when a marauding Fitzie was hauled down deep in Vincents territory and no free was given , Vincents quickly cleared the ball and Quinn and Dorney points gave then a five point Cushion as the final whistle blew. It wasn’t to be, but it was a magnificent effort by team and Management which was greatly appreciated by the large and vocal Cuala support on the night. There will be other days and nights for the Cuala senior footballers.
Final Score: St Vincents 0-11 Cuala 0-06
Darren McBrien (0-1, 1 45), Scott O’Brien, John Fitzsimons, Ronan Murdock, Conor Mulally, Michael Fitzsimons, Eoghan Breatnach, Adam Hudson, Jack McKenna
Luke Keating(0-3, 1f), Ryan Scollard (0-1), Conor O’Brien(0-1), Niall Carty, Donal Lehman
James Power for Donal Lehman
Ronan Sweeney for Conor O’Brien
Luke Treacy for Ronan Murdock
Colman McKenna for Adam Hudson
MOTM : Take you pick …..Mulally, Darbo , Breatnach , Lukey , Fitzy , Jack etc
